Do you think you might need some form of sleep disorder treatment? Do you seem to have trouble sleeping? Do you wake frequently throughout the night, feel exhausted when you wake up and feel tired during the day? If you have answered yes to any of these questions, you may be suffering from a sleep disorder or sleep problem. Sleep Disorders and sleep problems can be detrimental to your health. But the good news is, you don’t have to live with a sleep disorder. Fortunately, there are ways to identify the root cause of your sleep disorder or sleep problem which will help you sleep better and improve your overall health. Hopefully reading this article can help you find the answers you’re looking for.
What Are The Health Effects Of A Sleep Disorder
A sleep disorder can cause much more than just excessive sleepiness during the day. Some additional negative mental and physical health side effects of not getting enough sleep include decreasing mood, energy, and ability to concentrate or handle stress. Often, if sleep disorders or problems go undiagnosed or untreated they can lead to car accidents, lowered job performance, weight gain, strained relationships, and memory problems. Getting quality sleep is a necessity when it comes to staying healthy and performing to your potential.
Do You Have a Sleep Disorder or Sleep Problem?
A sleeping disorder will frequently impact your ability to get quality sleep. It’s pretty safe to say, most of us will occasionally experience some sleepless nights. Usually, difficulty sleeping is directly related to stress, illness, travel, or other temporary changes to your routine. If you are regularly experiencing problems with sleep, including getting to sleep, waking up tired, or feeling excessively sleepy throughout the day, a sleep disorder could be the cause. Living with a sleep disorder can not only be frustrating but it can be debilitating. The good news is you don’t have to live with a sleep disorder or problem. Medical and dental fields have come so far and they offer many ways to identify and treat the underlying causes of sleep disorders; improving your breathing, sleep, and quality of life.
Signs & Symptoms of a Sleep Disorder
Everyone will suffer from getting a good night’s rest once in a while. So, how can you tell whether your difficulty sleeping is a serious sleep disorder or just an occasional annoyance? A good place to start is examining your symptoms and trying to determine if you have any signs of sleep deprivation. Below are some questions you can ask yourself to help determine if you have a sleep disorder.
Do you:
- Have difficulty staying awake while sitting down, reading, or watching television?
- Feel sleepy during the day?
- Often feel irritable throughout the day?
- Fall asleep while driving?
- Have a hard time concentrating?
- Often get told you look tired?
- Tend to react slowly?
- Need to take a nap most days?
- Feel like you have to drink caffeine to get through your day?
There is a possibility you are suffering from a sleep disorder if you are regularly experiencing any of the symptoms mentioned above. It’s a good idea to pay attention to what symptoms you are having and how often they are occurring in order to determine what disorder you are suffering from. You can do this by keeping a sleep diary to pinpoint possible behaviors that are contributing to your sleep problems. Some of these include writing down the details of when you go to sleep and wake up, how long it takes you to fall asleep, hours you sleep, your feelings and mood, and food or beverage consumption before bed. Keeping a detailed sleep diary will also be helpful if you need to visit a doctor for your sleep disorder.
Sleep Treatment Self Help
Having a sleep disorder may require you to visit a sleep specialist. However, you can improve certain sleep problems with good sleep hygiene. Below, we have listed a few things you can do on your own to get better sleep.
- Improve habits: Long term you can get better sleep by sticking to a consistent bedtime and routine, exercising regularly, managing stress, limiting your intake of nicotine, alcohol, and caffeine.
- Create a relaxing bedtime routine: to get your body and mind ready for sleep, you’ll want to make sure your bedroom is dark, quiet, and cool. To get in a more relaxed state, you can also read, listen to soothing music, take a warm bath, and turn off any screens one-two hours before bed. Avoiding large amounts of fluid late at night and heavy meals will also promote better sleep.
- Learn to get back to sleep quickly: It’s normal to wake briefly occasionally during the night. However, if you have trouble getting back to sleep, you’ll want to meditate, focus on your breathing or try other relaxation techniques that could help you fall back asleep quickly.
When It’s Time to Visit a Sleep Specialist
If you have already tried many different self-help techniques to get better sleep without much success, it might be time to see a sleep specialist or visit a sleep clinic. This is especially true if:
- You fall asleep at odd times, such as talking, eating, or walking.
- Self-help hasn’t improved your excessive sleepiness.
- You stop breathing, gasp or choke while sleeping.
When you see a doctor regarding your sleep problem, you’ll want to provide them with as much information as possible. This includes your symptoms, daily routine and sharing a sleep diary if you have one.
Get Sleep Disorder Treatment in Coeur d’Alene Idaho
Sleep disorder treatment will include a home sleep test that monitors your heart rate, brain waves, rapid eye movements, and more using a small device that attaches to your wrist. The doctor will then design a treatment for your sleep problem if needed. Treatment is often needed for sleep apnea, snoring, or when your airway is small or obstructed while you sleep. Give Just Breathe DDS a call today to schedule an appointment in order to find the root cause of your sleep disorder. Sleep treatment can help you breathe better, sleep better and live better! Call today at (208) 500-3030.
References
https://www.helpguide.org/articles/sleep/therapy-for-sleep-disorders.htm
https://www.helpguide.org/articles/sleep/getting-better-sleep.htm